This invention pertains to a self-sealing, dispensing closure of a type comprising a shell attachable to a container, a cover moveable toward and away from the shell, and a valve connected to the cover, via a stem extending through an outlet defined by the shell, so as to be conjointly moveable with the cover. When the outlet is closed by the valve, contents of the container cannot flow through the outlet, to a mouth defined by the cover. When the outlet is opened, contents can flow through the outlet, toward the mouth. This invention provides a novel mechanism to bias the valve so as to close the outlet without resort to a separate spring component or like element.
So-called dispensing closures have found increasingly widespread applications on containers for water, fruit juices, isotonic xe2x80x9csportxe2x80x9d drinks, and the like. Commonly, such a closure includes a manually operable valve arrangement, which permits the contents of the container to be dispensed as desired. In one common construction, a valve element is pulled outwardly, away from the container, for opening and is pushed inwardly for closing. As will be appreciated, a self-closing or self-sealing closure facilitates convenient use.
An early example of a generally similar closure of the type noted above is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,210,206 to Fisher; in this patent, a metal dome having spring legs is provided, which biases a valve so as to close an outlet. A later example of a generally similar closure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,777 to Weinstein; in this patent, metal spring members of different configurations are provided, which in each instance bias a valve so as to close an outlet.
A closure of related interest is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,501 to Ostrowsky; in this patent spring members are formed unitarily on a polymeric component of a closure. Other closures of related interest are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,656 to Kessler, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,120 to Stebick et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,369 to Yurkewicz et al.
This invention provides a self-sealing, dispensing closure for a container, which may contain water, a fruit juice, a an isotonic xe2x80x9csportsxe2x80x9d drink, or any of a wide variety of other potable or non-potable liquids, either carbonated or non-carbonated, or which may contain any of a wide variety of other fluent contents. The present closure comprises a shell attachable to the container, a cover moveable toward and away from the shell, and a valve connected to the cover, via a stem, so as to be conjointly moveable with the cover. Preferably, the shell, the cover, and the valve including the stem are molded from a polymeric material, such as polypropylene, and are assembled to provide the closure. Notably, the present inclosure includes a unitary spring arrangement, which provides for self-sealing without resort to a separate spring arrangement or like element.
The shell defines an outlet, through which the stem extends, and the cover defines a mouth. The valve is adapted to close the outlet, so as to prevent communication between the outlet and the mouth, when the cover is moved away from the shell sufficiently to move the valve to a closing position. The valve is adapted to open the outlet, so as to permit communication between the outlet and the mouth, when the cover is moved sufficiently toward the shell to move the valve from the closing position.
According to this invention, the shell has a biasing surface, which converges toward the line of movement. Notably, the cover has a resilient skirt, which engages the biasing surface so as to bias the cover away from the shell and so as to bias the valve toward the closing position. The resilient skirt permits the cover to move toward the shell and the valve to move away from the closing position. Advantageously, therefore, no separate metal or other spring members are required. Preferably, the biasing surface is an external surface, which is a surface of revolution, such as a conical surface or another converging or diverging surface. Preferably, the biasing surface converges toward the line of movement, away from the outlet, toward the cover.
In a preferred embodiment, the closure defines an axis, along which the cover is moveable toward and away from the shell and along which the valve is moveable conjointly with the cover, with the stem extending axially through the outlet. The shell has a generally conical surface, which is the biasing surface and which is coaxial with the axis defined by the closure. The cover has a resilient skirt, which is coaxial therewith and which engages the generally conical surface so as to bias the cover away from the shell and so as to bias the valve toward the closing position but so as to permit the cover to move toward the shell and so as to permit the valve to move away from the closing position. In the preferred embodiment, the generally conical surface of the shell is an external surface, which is continuous around the axis defined by the closure, but the resilient skirt is discontinuous therearound and comprises plural segments.
This invention provides a locking arrangement that prevents opening of the closure unless the cover is positioned in a predetermined orientation relative to the shell. Specifically, if the shell and the cover are arranged to permit relative rotation of the shell and the cover about the axis defined by the closure, the shell and the cover may have formations coactive to prevent the cover from being moved toward the shell and, thus, to prevent the valve from being moved away from the closing position at certain, but not all, positions of relative rotation of the shell and the cover. Those formations may comprise an annular array of spaced teeth, which are provided on the shell, and an annular array of spaced teeth, which are provided on the cover, which engage the teeth provided on the shell in those positions wherein the cover is prevented from moving toward the shell and the valve is prevented from moving away from the closing position. However, the teeth provided on the cover fit between the teeth provided on the shell so as to permit opening, when the cover and the shell are positioned otherwise.
The teeth provided on the cover may engage the teeth provided on the shell, in interference fits, in those positions wherein the cover is prevented from moving toward the shell and the valve is prevented from moving away from the closing position. Such interfering engagement between the teeth provided on the cover and the teeth provided on the shell acts to urge the valve into self-sealing engagement with a valve seat, in the closing position.